


Doubt thou the stars are fire

by Robiness



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Fluff, Introspection, Kissing, Light Angst, M/M, POV Draco Malfoy, Post-Canon, Self-Doubt, Self-Esteem Issues, Soft Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:49:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29760594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Robiness/pseuds/Robiness
Summary: Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy's love for each other is as true as they know how to be.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 60





	Doubt thou the stars are fire

**Author's Note:**

> Presented to you by my agonizing period cramps! I wrote this while my painkillers had yet to work, so take from that what you will. 
> 
> The rating T is for swearing and referenced sexual content, both very brief. The title is from Shakespeare's Hamlet: _“Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar. But never doubt I love.”_

Everything about them was a lie. Or rather, they were both born and built on well-meaning half-truths, significant omissions, and harmful deceptions. 

Harry Potter has had lies upon lies piled up on his person ever since he was born. He _thoroughly_ rid the world of the Dark Lord as a baby. His parents died in a car crash. He was secretly the heir of Slytherin. He either made up or hallucinated the Dark Lord's return. He was a criminal that had to be put down. He could take all the needs of the world upon his shoulders because that was what he was _made_ for.

He's always been a celebrity and even though one would think sacrificing his childhood to defeat a tyrant was enough to earn some sort of peace, assumptions were still being made and spread about him. He cheated on Ginevra and broke her heart in the most heinous of ways. He's not actually bisexual and he’s not _actually_ dating an ex-Death Eather, he’s just seeking attention. No, no, he was adopting a charity case. Well, his achievements are _exaggerated_ anyway. He's secretly evil. He's an absolute saint. He's nothing but a fool.

Sometimes, Draco thought there might be some merit to that last one.

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand, was born a liar and relished in the role with glee. His family had honor and superiority. He was confident in his place in the world. He abhorred Potter with all his being. He wasn’t jealous of Granger’s smarts, nor did he feel lonely looking at the brood of Weasleys. He didn’t want to accept Dumbledore’s offer and wanted nothing to do with the Light side. He didn't need help, he didn't want mercy, he didn’t deserve forgiveness.

_“You do,” Potter whispered one quiet night, his lips against Draco’s temple. It was the first time they didn’t immediately get into bed after seeing each other, the first time Draco didn’t try to convince himself that sex was all he wanted from the saviour of the wizarding world. They just held each other and spoke of many things. The topic of their past couldn't exactly be avoided when they didn't have hot pleasure to distract them. “You deserve forgiveness. Maybe not from everyone you’ve wronged in the war, I don't know, but you deserve it from yourself. Draco—” Another first: Potter had never called him by his first name before this moment, as if he were waiting for Draco to drop the pretense. “—I wish you were more gentle with yourself.”_

_Draco tried to hide his longing ache at those words, but Potter wouldn’t have it, nudging his chin so that they were looking straight at each other. “For what it’s worth… I forgive you. But I don’t think that’s what you’re looking for.”_

Because of Draco’s history, he was almost as recognizable as Potter to the public and those who hated him felt that they were finally allowed to yell it at his face: He broke Harry and Ginevra Potter apart. He's put the Saviour under a spell. His changed behaviour was to give the world a false sense of security. He was somehow harming the beneficiaries of his charity work. There was _no_ way he wanted to leave the Malfoy legacy in the past.

Perhaps it didn't help that he himself doubted his intentions. People spread lies about Potter, but he couldn't muster the same level of certainty when it came to himself. After all, it wasn't so long ago that he was the boy who only knew how to spout shite.

“Sometimes I wonder if I _am_ just lying to myself,” Draco told Potter.

“You always are,” Potter chastised, though he put away whatever novel he was reading and gave Draco his undivided attention. “What’s this about?”

“What if I’m just pretending to turn over a new leaf and I just haven’t realized it yet?” _What if my blood really is poison, what if I really will hurt you one day—_

Calloused fingers began massaging the knobs of his ankles and the soles of his feet that had been resting on Potter’s lap all evening. “You’ll hate what I have to say.” 

He often did this, warning Draco of anything that might cause conflict between them. Potter was always so open and truthful, at least to those he cared about, and seemed to go the extra mile to tell Draco everything. It helped foster Draco's security in their relationship, which is probably why the bastard did it—Draco was sure of Potter's love only because the man was so honest that it would be stupid to doubt him. If that love ever dried up, Draco could trust that he'd immediately be told.

“No, I won’t," he lied.

Potter raised an eyebrow but didn’t call him out. “I think…" Draco waited. "...That we’re all just trying to find our truths.”

Draco immediately groaned. “Ugh, don’t be vapid, Potter.” One of the couch pillows hit Potter's stupid head. “Save me from your fluffy nonsense.”

Potter just smiled and pulled Draco towards him so that Draco’s back was against his front. Strong arms wrapped around Draco’s middle, Potter burying his face where neck met shoulder. “You know I’m not actually the all-knowing being some people think I am, right?” Potter reminded him, voice slightly muffled. “You’re smarter than me anyway, you’ll come up with better advice than I ever could.”

Draco sighed. “But you know me more.”

“Only because you’re too afraid to know yourself.”

Draco huffed but said nothing.

They stayed in that position for a while, quiet and contemplative. Potter was completely relaxed, occasionally nuzzling his face against Draco’s skin. 

Eventually, Draco turned around so that he could look at Potter. He felt a sudden surge of desperation and determinedly clasped Potter’s face with both hands. “But you’ll tell me if I begin acting differently, right? If I’m being very suspicious? You’ll confront me? Go all Chosen-One-Who-Lived-Twice on me?”

Potter wrinkled his nose at the name and the idea. “If you want me to.”

“I mean it, Potter, you have to promise me—” He paused so that his voice wouldn’t break. “You have to promise not to let me get away with anything Dark or evil or _wrong_.”

Potter squeezed his waist and hoisted him up so that he was kneeling on either side of Potter's thighs. Green eyes were clear as they looked up, as if in supplication, asking Draco to believe that Potter _was_ taking this concern seriously. “I won’t ever let you become anything you’re not." Potter kissed his lips once, twice, three times. "I swear, even if it hurts either of us in the process. I love you too much to let that happen.”

Draco slumped forward with relief, because Potter never lied. He returned the kisses, moaning sweetly when Potter's fingers reverently cradled his face. “I love you,” he whispered. “I love you, Harry Potter, I love you, I love you, I—”

More kisses peppered his face and he could only melt against the gentle ministrations. “I believe you,” Potter whispered back. “I believe you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for giving this a chance despite any errors I couldn't catch through the haze of pain while writing haha (Kidding aside, I feel the meds start to work, hallelujah)
> 
> I can be found on [tumblr](https://robiness.tumblr.com/), fruitlessly searching for more Drarry content.


End file.
